ITALIAN superstar Alessandro Del Piero has shown, with the massive impact he has had in Australia over the past few months, the value of a genuine marquee player.

David Beckham remains on the radar for several Australian clubs, such as Melbourne Heart, Perth Glory and Central Coast Mariners. The former England captain will make a decision on his future after his final appearance for LA Galaxy this weekend.

While Australia is a chance to become his next port of call, a new rival has emerged in the form of French club Monaco. Its proximity to Britain and tax-haven status might make Monaco a more attractive option than Perth, Sydney or Melbourne, but much will depend on the 37-year-old Beckham's thoughts about the ''legacy'' he might want to leave in the game.

Del Piero's arrival generated scenes close to hysteria, and even managed to push the NRL finals off the back pages.

The Italian has largely backed up the hype on the pitch. While he might not have dominated games (he is, after all, 38) he has scored goals (including a sumptuous free kick), created for others and led from the front in a team that has struggled to meet the expectations his arrival generated. He has kept Sydney FC in the headlines, pulled crowds and raised awareness of football and the A-League.

He has also broadened the horizons for the A-League - Sydney's games have been shown on Italian television, which, given the club's performances, is something of a mixed blessing - and has increased its credibility in Europe and Asia.

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After all, if it's good enough for a player of his status to come down under, then surely it is good enough for many others whose time in the top flight is drawing to a close.

Del Piero's short spell here is a perfect template of how a marquee player should work. He has bought into ''the project'' and committed himself for the long haul, signing a two-year deal deal to ensure he can make a lasting impact.

Now he has to galvanise Sydney FC on the field, alongside new coach Frank Farina.

Should Beckham end up in Australia, if only for a 10-game guest stint, the buzz would be enormous.

He remains, probably after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo the best-known name in the global game. He would likely sell out every game he plays in.

But then what? A 10-game guest stint is just that. A player is not a genuine signing for the club. He is not realistically there to build for its long term. He is there to boost its image, give it a shot in the arm, attract fans and corporate backers and help lift its performance.

Beckham would do all of the above - in spades - and whoever signs him would get an immediate financial boost, even though he would cost a huge sum to bring here. But if he were to go within three months, would the new supporters hang on? Or would they just go back to what they were doing before?

The challenge for the club is to ensure it can consolidate on those short-term gains, and in the case of a Beckham, try to persuade him to commit to a longer-term deal - to really build a legacy.

Marketing and advertising guru Harold Mitchell has plenty of experience of sports business and marquee signings. As foundation chairman of the Melbourne Rebels Super 15 club, he signed English glamour boy Danny Cipriani and former Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock in the first season to try to build an identity and culture.

A-League clubs can do the same, he says, but ultimately, it is the club and its success that will generate fan loyalty and commitment, not a succession of big-name signings, especially short-term ones.

''Long-term, people want to follow the team not just a player,'' he says. ''A marquee player also has to be affordable and sustainable. Sports business is like show business, you have to provide some excitement, but you have to get the costs right. If the price is too high, and it doesn't leave the resources for development of other players, it's not right.''